Sports Writer

India century-maker Virat Kohli says the hosts were surprised by Australia's selection of only one specialist spinner for the first Test, making clear it was their intention to make sure the decision backfired badly.

Michael Clarke's team have been shunted firmly onto the back foot in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener, trailing by 135 runs heading into the fourth day on Monday after a spectacular double century by India’s captain MS Dhoni.

Australia entered the Test with three fast bowlers – James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc – in their line-up, as well as a seam-bowling all-rounder, Moises Henriques, shunning a specialist back-up for Nathan Lyon in spin-friendly conditions. A radical selection for subcontinent conditions, it has not proved a successful one to date.

It also left India with raised eyebrows. Kohli, who added to Australia's pain on Sunday with 107, said India were taken aback by the make-up of the visitors’ XI. Thirteen of the 18 wickets so far in Chennai have fallen as a result of spin despite Australia’s seam-heavy attack and Kohli believes a dusty red soil pitch will favour them even more on the final two days.

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"Yeah all of us were a bit surprised by that decision," Kohli said of the Australian selection. "They had Xavier (Doherty) in the team as well so we really thought he was going to play this game and we were really surprised to see three seamers in their squad which was a good thing for us on that wicket.

"We just decided to take advantage of that because knowing these conditions you can only have those quick bowling spells, those bursts, for like three or four overs, not more than that.

"We had it in my mind to play out those spells and capitalise on anything loose. All of us were really surprised with that decision."

Lyon made two key breakthroughs – of Sachin Tendulkar and Kohli – on Sunday but was the recipient of heavy punishment, primarily from Dhoni. At stumps his figures were an unflattering 3-182.

Australia had thrust their faith in fast bowling, banking on reverse swing and variable bounce to be their trumpcards, and Doherty’s modest first-class record did him no favours in the selection room. Another option was Victorian off-spinning all-rounder Glenn Maxwell. Instead, Clarke and David Warner were called on to provide support to Lyon.

Asked whether Australia should have played a second specialist spinner, wicketkeeper Matthew Wade said:

"I think it’s hard to say. Obviously (Dhoni) played really well so if we played two spinners he could have taken down the second spinner – who knows?

"But I think our quicks are very good quicks, good reverse swing bowlers so we back them 100 per cent as well as Nathan. He’s a class spinner, his record suggests he’s a very good spinner."

So destructive was Dhoni on Sunday, though, that he might well have destroyed any Australian attack, no matter who was in it. The captain came to the crease at 4-196, with India behind by nearly 200, and with the assistance of Kohli blasted them into a strong lead.

"If he bats like that you don't need to say much, it was a brilliant effort by him, especially after coming in from the fall of Sachin Tendulkar," Kohli said.

"We needed to capitalise at that point in time, we needed a big partnership and he strung in a good partnership with me and then carried on the way he did. When he is in flow, he can hit the ball a mile and we all saw that. He can totally take the game away from you, that was a great example of his ability to hit the ball cleanly. It was quite brilliant. That was special to watch.”